Wisconsin university approves Israel boycott

The student government of the University of Wisconsin-Madison unanimously passed a divestment resolution targeting companies operating in many countries that included an amendment specifically about Israel, JTA reported Thursday. The resolution, which passed Wednesday by the Associated Students of Madison by a 24-0 vote with two abstentions, calls on the university and its foundation to divest from companies involved in private prisons, arms manufacture, fossil fuels and border walls, and banks that “oppress marginalized communities.”

The vote comes a month after a divestment resolution specifically targeting Israel failed to pass the student government and two weeks after the student government passed a proposal to create a new financial transparency and ethics subcommittee, according to JTA. That meeting was held April 12, the second day of Passover, when several Jewish representatives were absent. READ MORE